In recent years, the use of computers has become increasingly popular. One reason for the increased popularity and usage of computers has been the graphical user interface (GUI) which allows a computer user to execute various computer commands by manipulating symbols and icons on the computer screen. Although most GUI's allow the computer user to utilize a standard keyboard to manipulate the graphical images on the screen to perform various functions, the computer "mouse" is the most common apparatus by which computer users interact with a computer through a GUI.
A computer equipped with a mouse will display a pointing symbol (ordinarily a small arrow) on the computer screen. The mouse is a pointing and selection device, connected to the computer through the use of a wired or wireless connection, that allows a computer user to move the pointing symbol to various locations on the computer screen in response to movement of the mouse across a surface such as a desktop or another substantially horizontal, planar surface. The computer user places the mouse on the flat surface and slides the mouse across the surface in any direction desired, thereby causing the pointing symbol to correspondingly move on the computer screen. Once the pointing symbol is located as desired on the screen, for example pointing at an icon that will cause a document to print, the user can press one or more buttons on the mouse to execute the particular operation indicated by the icon.
In general, the computer mouse consists of a body having a cavity formed in the underside thereof. The cavity is designed to accept a spherical mouse ball which is retained in the cavity by an annular retainer ring that allows a portion of the ball to extend from the lower side of the mouse. When the lower side of the mouse is placed on a planar surface such as a desktop or a specially designed mouse pad, the mouse ball engages the planar surface and is rotated within the cavity in response to movement of the mouse across the surface.
The cavity typically includes three rollers that engage the mouse ball. Two of the rollers are connected to transducers that translate the rotational movement of the mouse ball (in response to movement of the mouse across the planar surface), through the use of pulse encoders, into X-Y coordinate signals that are transmitted into the computer and control the position of the arrow pointing symbol on the computer display screen. The third roller is a tension roller, which may be spring-loaded, provided to ensure that the mouse ball remains in constant contact with the first and second rollers.
It can be seen that proper operation of the mouse device requires the mouse ball to be in constant contact with a suitable planar surface. Most mouse users utilize a mouse pad which is placed on a desktop, and includes a textured upper surface that has a sufficiently high coefficient of friction such that the mouse ball consistently rotates whenever the mouse is moved across the pad. The mouse pad also serves to isolate the mouse from dirty or dusty surfaces such as the user's desktop.
While such an arrangement will ordinarily work well for a while, over time, the mouse ball, the mouse cavity, and the rollers within the cavity inevitably become fouled with dirt, dust, and other foreign matter. For example, a mouse pad will collect dirt and oil from the hands of the computer user and will transfer the same to the mouse ball, and consequently to the rollers. Also, as the mouse ball becomes coated with dirt and oil, the ball will begin to retain lint and other foreign matter on the surface thereof, which ultimately gets transferred to the rollers. Cigarette smoke can also cause a mouse ball, cavity and rollers to become contaminated. Also, many computers are used in generally dusty and harsh environments where food particles, beverage spills, and other contaminants are frequently encountered.
The collection of dirt, oil, and other foreign matter on the mouse ball, in the mouse cavity, and on the mouse rollers, eventually causes a mouse to malfunction. Movement of the mouse across the planar surface will cause the mouse ball to rotate, but the foreign matter on the rollers will cause the mouse ball to slip against the rollers or otherwise fail to roll in response to movement of the mouse ball. This leads to inconsistent and erratic behavior of the pointing symbol displayed on the computer screen, and generally makes the computer more difficult to use.
A prior mouse cleaning apparatus has been developed wherein a mouse ball is covered with a first hook component of a two part Velcro.RTM. system and coated with a solvent. This ball is then temporarily inserted in to the mouse cavity. A mouse pad covered with the corresponding loop component of the Velcro.RTM. system is also provided. After the Velcro.RTM. covered ball is coated with a solvent and inserted into the mouse cavity, the mouse is operated on the Velcro.RTM. mouse pad, such that the hooks on the mouse ball, in conjunction with the solvent, dislodge and abrade debris from the rollers within the mouse cavity, and transfer the same to the Velcro.RTM. covered mouse pad surface. However, this apparatus has not been found to be effective in thoroughly cleaning the mouse rollers and cavity, because the spring-like action of the hook component covering the surface of the ball tends to spray the liberated dirt and debris throughout the inside of the mouse cavity. Most importantly, the Velcro.RTM. surface of the mouse ball is not sufficiently absorbent to retain a meaningful amount of solvent where it is needed--i.e., at the point of contact between the cleaning ball and the mouse rollers. It has been found that in order to properly clean the rollers within the mouse cavity, the rollers must be bathed and kept in contact with a suitable amount of solvent. A mouse ball covered in Velcro.RTM. does not absorb sufficient solvent to properly clean the rollers, and is not effective in properly bathing the rollers in solvent. Also, while the Velcro.RTM. covered ball and pad are provided as a means for transferring dirt and lint from the cleaning ball to the pad, the opposite can also occur, where the ball picks up lint and dirt from the pad and transfers the same back into the mouse cavity and onto the rollers. Also, the engagement of the hook and loop elements of the Velcro.RTM. make it difficult for the user of the mouse to perform the cleaning operation. The user must restrain the pad component in position with one hand, and use a relatively large amount of force with the other hand to move the mouse across the surface of the mouse pad. In addition, the Velcro.RTM. covered mouse cleaning ball has a tendency to become stuck within the mouse cavity, and may require the use of a removal pin or hook. The bristled surface of the cleaning ball sprays cleaning solvent and dirt throughout the mouse ball cavity, and this spraying of dirt and solvent is thought to aggravate rather than alleviate the dirty condition of the mouse. Finally, the bristled "hook" surface of the Velcro.RTM. covered cleaning ball does not maximize contact between the cleaning ball and the rollers.